Method of producing an electrode structure



Dec, 22, 1959 c. c. POWERS 2,917,311

METHOD OF PRODUCING AN ELECTRODE STRUCTURE Filed June 15, 1955 INVENTORZ CECILLO C. POWERS,

HIS 2 TOR Y.

United States Patent "ice METHOD OF PRODUCING AN ELECTRODE STRUCTURECecillo C. Powers, Owensboro, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company,a corporation of New York Application June 15, 1955, Serial No. 515,650

6 Claims. (Cl. 29-2518) My invention relates to electrode elements andpertains more particularly to an improved electrode structure and themethod of producing such structure.

In electronic tubes and the like it is often desirable to treat thesurfaces of elements therein as by coating with particular materials.For example, it is often desirable to carbonize or otherwise darken thesurfaces of anodes for increasing heat radiation and decreasingsecondary emission, thereby to increase the operating efficiency of suchelements. It has been found, however, that the anodes, when carbonizedor similarly treated, are not adapted for having satisfactory welds madethereto due to the presence of the coating material between the bodymaterial of the electrode and the members or elements to be weldedthereto. Thus, it is difficult to make suitable electrical connectionsto such electrodes. Additionally, it has been found difficultsatisfactorily to remove the coating material from portions of theelectrodes to which it is desired to make welded connections.

Accordingly, the primary object of my invention is to provide a new andimproved electrode structure adapted for facilitating the making ofsatisfactory electrical connections thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved methodfor producing electrode elements whereby the element when formed isadapted for having satisfactory electrical connections made thereto.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a new and improvedelectrode structure and method of producing such structure whichfacilitates and reduces the cost of manufacture and which insuressatisfactory dependable welded connections thereto.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularly in theclaims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

In carrying out the objects of my invention I feed material in stripform through means adapted for providing predetermined coated anduncoated portions on the material. Then the strip is fed into means forforming and shaping portions of the strip to provide blanks includingtab portions located at the predetermined uncoated portions.Subsequently, the blanks can be bent to provide coated tubular orsleeve-like electrodes including bare tabs adapted for having otherelements welded thereto.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an electrical discharge deviceincluding an embodiment of my improved electrode structure;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective illustration of one form of structurethat may be produced in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of another electrode structurethat may be produced in accordance with my teachings; and

2,917,81 1 Patented Dec. 22, 1959 Fig. 4 is a schematic perspectiveillustration of means that may be utilized in practicing my method.

Referring to Fig. 1 I have shown in outline an electric discharge devicegenerally designated 1 and including the usual envelope 2, lead-in pinsor prongs 3, and spaced insulative support members 4. Mounted betweenthe support members 4 is an anode 5 constructed and produced inaccordance with one form of my invention.

As seen in Fig. 2, the anode 5 is formed of a single blank of conductivesheet material such as nickel. The blank comprises a body portiongenerally designated 6 and a plurality of tab portions 7 disposed alongboth the upper and lower edges of the blank. As indicated by thestippling, the body portion 6 is carbonized or otherwise coated forincreasing the operating efficiency of the structure as by increasingheat radiation and minimizing secondary electron emission. The tabportions 7 are bare or uncoated and cleaned. Thus, the tab portions 7,in addition to being adapted for securing the anode 5 between theinsulating support members 4, are each adapted for having otherelements, such as the lead 10 in Fig. 1, suitably electrically connectedthereto as by welding. Due to the fact that each of the tabs is adaptedfor having a satisfactory weld made thereto, it is immaterial how theanode is mounted between the supports 4. There will always be one of thetabs 7 in position for having the lead 10 welded thereto, thereby toprovide a satisfactory electrical connection to the anode body.

As also seen in Fig. 2 each half of the body portion of the blank fromwhich the anode 6 is formed includes an outwardly extending portion 11.Thus, when the blank is folded in half or bent upon itself to bring theend tabs in juxtaposed positions in the manner shown, the portions 11cooperate to provide a tubular or sleevelike structure adapted forfitting about other electrode elements such as a cathode and one or moregrids (not shown). Additionally, suitable means (not shown) are providedfor securing the halves of the blank together to maintain the tubularconfiguration of the structure.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated another embodiment of my electrode structuregenerally designated 12. This embodiment is also formed of a singleblank of sheet material such as nickel and includes a body portion 13which, as indicated by the stippling is carbonized or similarly coatedfor increasing heat radiation and minimizing secondary electronemission. The blank further includes a plurality of bare tab portions 14located in spaced relation along both the upper and lower edges of thestructure. As seen in Fig. 3 the blank from which the structure 12 isformed may be preformed so that when it is folded or the ends thereofare brought together to place the end tabs in juxtaposed positions theintermediate portion forms a substantially flat tubular or sleeve-likestructure for being disposed about other electrode elements (not shown).The tabs 14 are adapted for extending through suitable insulativesupport structures, such as those designated 4 in Fig. 1. Additionally,the bare tabs 14 are such that a suitable electrical connection, such asa welded one, may be made to the body portion of the anode through anyone of the tabs 14.

The anode structures 5 and 12 may each be produced in the mannerschematically illustrated in Fig. 4. This method includes providing thesheet material from which the structures are formed in an elongatedstrip 16 and preferably in a roll designated 17 in Fig. 4. From the roll17 the strip 16 is fed into or passes through a carbonizing furnacegenerally designated 18 or any similar device for providing a desiredcoating on the strip. From the furnace 18 the strip 16 emergescarbonized or otherwise coated, as indicated by the stippling.Thereafter, the strip is fed through a bufling device generallydesignated 19. The device 19 may comprise a plurality of bufling wheelssuitably journalled in the device and situated and adapted for bufiingthe oppositeside edges of each side of the strip, thereby to removecompletely the previously applied coating material therefrom. Thebufiing wheels 20 may be driven by a suitable driving arrangementgenerally designated 21. Additionally, if desired, the device 19 may beadapted for removing completely the coating from one side of the strip16.

After emerging from the butfing device 19 the strip 16, with the sideedges bared or cleaned of the coating material, is directed between maleand female dies of a stamping arrangement generally designated 22. Thearrangement 22 may be adapted for forming blanks 23 which are adaptedfor being bent into the configuration illustrated in Fig. 2 or blanks24- which are adapted for being bent to assume the configuration of thestructure illustrated in Fig. 3. Other shapes and configurations can beemployed as desired or required. Additionally, as clearly seen in Fig.4, the carbonized strip 16 with the carbon coating removed from the sideedges is so oriented as it enters the die structure 22 that when thestructure 22 is operated it is effective for forming the body portionsof the blanks from the coated or car bonized body portion of the stripand for forming the tab portions from the bared or cleaned edge portionsof the strip. The blanks may be each cut oflf by the die arrangement 22as it is thereby formed. Or, alternatively, the formed blanks may beleft connected and rolled for easy shipment and severed upon arrival ata point of use. The individual blanks, after forming are folded in halfto assume the desired anode configurations. Thereafter, the ends aresuitably secured together and the structures are ready for assemblageinto a tube structure in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that while I have shown my invention as applied tocarbonized anodes, it is not limited to such structures. My invention isequally applicable to the provision of other electrode structures havingother coatings and as, for example, thorium, nickel-oxide, sprayedradiating surfaces such as anodized graphite, nickel powder, etc.Additionally, it will be seen that my invention is applicable in theprovision of composite surface elements other than electrodes.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention Ido not desire my invention to be limited to the particular forms shownand described, and I ntend by the appended claims to cover allmodifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to scecure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. The method of producing electrode elements comprising the steps ofapplying a coating on a piece of conductive material, removing saidcoating from predetermined portions of said material, forming saidmaterial into a body portion and at least one tab portion so that saidtab portion will be formed from one of said predetermined portions fromwhich said coating has been removed.

2. The method of producing electrode elements comprising the steps ofapplying a coating on a piece of conductive material, removing saidcoating from theopposite edges of said material, forming said materialinto a body portion and oppositely extending tab portions so that saidtab portions will be formed from said edges of said material from whichsaid coating has been removed.

3. The method of producing electrode elements comprising the steps ofcoating a sheet of conductive material with carbon removing said carbonfrom predtetermined portions of said material, forming said materialinto a body portion and at least one tab portion so that said tabportion will be formed from one of said predetermined portions fromwhich said carbon has been removed.

4. The method of producing electrode elements comprising the steps ofcoating a sheet of conductive material with carbon, removing said carbonfrom the opposite edges of said material, forming said material into abody portion and oppositely extending tab portions so that said tabportions will be formed from said edges of said material from which saidcarbon has been removed.

5. The method of producing electrode elements comprising the steps ofcoating a strip of nickel with carbon, butting said carbon frompredetermined portions of said strip, and cutt ng said strip into blankseach includinga body portion formed from the carbon coated portion ofsaid strip and at least one tab portion formed from one of saidpredetermined portions from which said carbon has been removed.

6. The method of producing electrode elements comprising the steps ofcoating a strip of nickel with carbon, bufiing said carbon from theopposite edges of said strip and cutting said strip into blanks eachincluding a body portion formed from the coated portion of said stripand a plurality of tab portions formed from said opposite edges fromwhich said carbon has been removed, and bending said blanks to bring tabportions on opposite ends thereof into juxtaposed positions to provide atubular element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,426,734 Hendry Aug. 22, 1922 1,432,867 Kelly Oct. 24, 1922 1,872,359Sutherlin Aug. 16, 1932 1,984,160 Smith Dec. 11, 1934 2,048,567 RubenJuly 21, 1936 2,146,098 Van Gessel et al. Feb. 7, 1939 2,175,695 KniepenOct. 10, 1939 2,220,909 Kershaw Nov. 12, 1940 2,238,031 Brennan Apr. l5,1941 2,352,933 Beggs July 4, 1944 2,392,879 Radclifle Jan. 15, 19462,543,439 Coomes et al Feb. 27, 1951 2,556,864 Apker June 12, 19512,592,549 Ekstrand et al Apr. 15, 1952

